How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?

Unlike filling up a gas tank, answering the question, “How long does it take to charge an electric car?” isn’t straight forward. It depends on the type, make, and model of EV you drive and the type of charger you are using. Home charging is generally slower than public charging. Let’s take a look at how long it might take to charge a new electric car in Whitewater.

What are My Electric Car Charging Options?

1. Level 1 Home Charging: Home charging using a grounded (three-prong) 110V/120V outlet is the slowest of the charging methods. It can take around 24 to fully charge your EV at a regular outlet, but it is a good option for topping off the battery overnight before heading out to work again in the morning. 
2. Level 2 Home Charging: Electric vehicle makers recommend having a Level 2 charging unit professionally installed at your home. Level 2 charging requires a 240V+ outlet but produces a full charge in hours not days. These are AC chargers. DC chargers are even faster with the possibility of an 80% charge in a half an hour or forty minutes. Because of the diminishing rate of charge, the final 20% will take longer. 
3. Level 2 and 3 Public Charging: More public charging stations are popping up every day. You can charge your EV while you shop, dine, or see a movie in Orfordville. Large retail chains like Walgreens and Kohls are installing charging stations in parking lots across the country. Most charging stations provide Level 2 charging speeds, but some have lightning charges that are even faster. Some public chargers are powered by solar panels or wind turbines for emissions-free renewable energy charging.

Home Charging Times

Both Level 1 and Level 2 charging are available at home with the right equipment. The different types of chargers take different amounts of time to fully charge an electric car.

• Level 1 EV charging takes 24 to 48 hours to fully charge an electric car. 
• Level 2 EV charging takes 4 to 6 hours to fully charge an electric car. Generally speaking, if you plug the car in when you get home from work in the evening, it will be fully charged by the next morning.
• Level 3 EV charging (lightning charging) takes an hour or less to fully recharge most EVs, or add significant range in just ten minutes.

Level 3 EV charging is only offered at certain public locations. Most EV owners use rapid charging in public when available and plug into a Level 2 charger to top up at-home. 

Plug-in hybrids generally charge faster than EVs because they only run on batteries part of the time. The rule of thumb is that plug-in hybrids use an electric motor in town and a gas engine on the highway. It usually takes 1-4 hours to get a full charge. 

Public Charging Times

Voltage is not the only thing that affects electric car charging time. You need to factor in available kilowatts (kW), too. Most home chargers offer 3.7 kW or 7 kW, while public stations offer 22 kW charging, 43-50 kW rapid charging, and 150 kW rapid charging. Depending on the make and type of vehicle, it could take an hour or so for a full charge, but inn other cases it could take 4, 6, or 11 hours for a full charge. 

Test Drive an Electric Vehicle Near Janesville

When you are ready to try a new EV, give us a call to discuss availability or schedule a test drive. Check out our new car inventory and let us get you behind the wheel of the hybrid or electric car of your dreams!